After the loss, I was depressed, so I wrote about it. I was planning to submit it to the JBB writing team at first, so it's written as an article. It's moments like these that make me consider abandoning sports altogether. Half an hour ago, the Seattle Sonics lost to the San Antonio Spurs. I had to pause and think about that last sentence after I typed it, just to remind myself it was true. I won't lie. I felt like crying when Ray Allen's last second, off-balance, fadeaway, but oh-so-on-target three missed to the right by a few inches. Ray Allen did cry. And I don't blame him. This is the type of season you never want to end. Sometimes, as fans, we forget that the players involved are as conscious of every mistake they make as we are. They care more than us, as hard as it is for somebody like me to believe. The Sonics defied all expectations this year, winning 52 games when most thought they would lose more than that. And, half an hour ago, they just barely lost to one of the greatest teams, if not the greatest, team in the NBA even without their second and third leading scorers. By all means, I should be overjoyed that they (it's hard for me not to say we) got this far, but I'm not. It hurts, a lot. More than half the team will be a free agent next year. It's possible that the Sonics won't be back in the playoffs for years, although I find it hard to believe management won't try to bring back every key player they can. The center position this year has been a mixed blessing for the Sonics. Jerome James provided a consistent presence on the block for the entire year. He wasn't great, but he got the job done. He pushed the team to victory in the first round against the Sacramento Kings, but he couldn't keep the same pace up against Tim Duncan. Nobody blames him, because by the end of the season he was trying as hard as he could, harder than he had ever played during his time in Seattle. Jerome was backed up by the league's new lightning rod for technical fouls, Danny Fortson. Danny brought what everybody knew had been missing from the Sonics since Shawn Kemp left: an attitude. He may have been a problem child, but his contributions in the beginning of the season helped the team to establish a rough-and-tumble style of play on the frontline that stopped opponents from taking a light stroll to the basket. The forwards came out of nowhere this season, which may explain why nobody saw the Sonics coming, either. I love Reggie Evans and the way he plays the game of basketball. He can barely make a layup, but his heart and his hustle are on another level from just about everybody he steps onto the court with. It was contagious to the rest of the team. I hope he never leaves Seattle. Based on his production alone, the Nick Collison from the start of the season isn't even related to the Nick Collison that often finished games for the Sonics at the end. He speaks few words on the court, but that's not his style. His game does the talking. Vladimir Radmanovic finally got over it. He had been complaining about not starting for three years, and as soon as he stopped, the Sonics had a Sixth Man of the Year contendor who could carry them to wins three pointer after three pointer. Damien Wilkins was an undrafted rookie. Now he's a worthy free agent who can defend four positions and energize an entire team through effort alone. And there was Rashard Lewis, the much maligned, often lacking, but never outspoken small forward with all-star talent and bench-warmer effort. Not anymore. I'm proud of the way he has matured into a leader for the Sonics, taking the team to the next level along with his game. The guards have been the key to the Sonics' success this season, simply because they've been the only constants. Ray Allen, Luke Ridnour, and Antonio Daniels all played better than they ever had in their career. Ray was criticized during the season (I was one of the ones doing the jeering), but his performance in the playoffs has erased all doubt of his importance to the team. The gimpy ankles and loud mouth don't matter when it counts. Luke has developed from a soft white boy into a point guard who deserves to lead a playoff team. His confidence has multiplied a hundred-fold from the beginning of the season. At 23 years old, he's got nowhere to go but up. Antonio came through when it counted. He cared. You could see it in when he grimaced after every fall he took, in every free throw he missed, when he got up and kept playing as hard as he could. The camera was on him before the final play of the Spurs game took place. He walked from the bench to the spot where he would inbound the ball with 0.5 seconds remained, repeating the words "Never say die." He cared. And he made sure everybody else did, too. But, it's over. I suppose the reason I'm so attached to this team is that I know it will be gone next year. I'll even miss the players I neglected to talk about, because they were all important in their own way. The Seattle Sonics had finally started winning, and it's entirely possible that will stop before anybody has a chance to stop and take it in. Admire the way the Sonics played together in a league full of isolation. The way they gathered at center court after every game, win or loss. The way Nate McMillan coached the team as if they were a family instead of coworkers. It's almost as if this season doesn't count. Yes, many familiar faces will be back, but it won't be the same team. What I wanted was a championship ring for them, to remind them that this dream season was indeed reality.
Very nice article for Sonics fans to read and take a brief look back.....this was the greatest season of Seattle Sonics in post Kemp-Payton era.....to go from bottom feeders to the elite - that's something special. At times it was like a fairytale - at times Sonics struggled baddly (end of the regular season), only to rise again and explode to great 4-1 series win against Kings. Now my only concern is that we can hold some of this great team together and try to replace others - maybe, just maybe we are headed to another great season. But before that Sonics front office has to make some serious desicions....... THANK YOU SEATTLE SONICS!
Thank you Sonics This season was an amazing ride - That doesnt change despite whatever happens next season. Thank you Sonics.
I think you echo just about everyone in this forum's thoughts Cas'. Very nice article. A championship ring would've undoubtedly made this a season scripted for ESPN Classic reruns...but nonetheless, watching this team perform all year will not soon be forgotton by me. An unforgettable team and season. It still hurts the day after... no more scrapping previews together minutes before the game... no more Random Family Guy Quotes... and most devastating, no more Sonics basketball. How depressing.
Very nice article. The Sonics had a good run and I am impressed they kept the game so close with the best team in the NBA, the Spurs. You described everything really well and I thought you did a great job.
What a great season. It's a shame that it to end this way, but it's hard to be dissapointed when the team you love rises above all expectations, and becomes a member of the leagues elite. Expieriencing the ups and the downs has truly been an honor. Yet I still find myself dissapointed, what if this, what if that. I didn't want this season to ever end. Never have I become so attached a professional team in my life. I never thought that a basketball game could bring me to tears but it nearly did twice in the same night(you'll be missed Reggie). Time to gear up for the offseason, there are plenty of tough decisions for the guys in the front office. It should be interesting.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">This is the type of season you never want to end.</div> Summed up for me in one line. This season has been one of the most enjoyable for me as a sports fan in general, not just a Sonics fan. We've complained about Ray Allen in the regular season and Rashard Lewis in the playoffs. We've wanted Danny Fortson to tone down his antics after such a good start, we've had our ups and downs with Nate McMillan, we endured the agonising wait to clinch the division, had many tipping us to bow out in round one, and we've followed the rollercoaster ride of having an inexperienced, small point guard start every game. And I've loved every single moment of it. For all the negatives this season, the positives absolutely engulf them. A team that won 37 games last season, started this season with just about everyone (including coach and GM) an upcoming free agent, and a 30 point loss to the Clips on opening night. The sheer character, willpower and determination of the entire roster - from superstar shooting guard to undrafted free agent swingman - has been inspirational. Just remember this from Marc Stein before the season: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"29 (19) SuperSonics (37-45) Only two teams in the West have no shot at the playoffs, and this is No. 1 on that list. The return of Nick Collison will help, but it was another way-too-quiet summer in Seattle."</div> The only team he ranked below us was the Bobcats. To watch Luke Ridnour develop has been a joy. To watch Nick Collison adapt to the league has been a joy. To watch Reggie Evans get the utmost out of his talents, to watch Rashard Lewis blottom into an All-Star, to watch Damien Wilkins seize his opportunities so quickly after waiting for so long, to see guys like Robert Swift, Mateen Cleaves and Flip Murray cheer like there's no tomorrow from the sidelines to watch Ray Allen continue to put together career numbers has been truly superb. I would say without a doubt that I have enjoyed this season more than I enjoyed the power George Karl teams, even the fantastic 95/96 season when only MJ stood in our way. To watch a bunch of seeming misfits bond together and have the sort of season they've had, well it's like something out of a movie. At the end of the day, we came within inches of forcing a seventh game in the West semi-finals against a powerhouse team. It hurts now, but that is still something to be so proud of. Muchos Gracious, Supes, and Casual too.
One further thing: I just realised that we ended the season with Nick Collison and Damien Wilkins on the floor. We played the most crucial part of the season with a rookie and an undrafted rookie on the floor, and that pretty much sums up the depth of contributions on this team all season.
Nice summary of the season. We've all disagreed at times about the decisions that should be made to help this team but the bottom line is that we all wanted the same thing, for the Sonics to win. The consistent posters of this forum followed the Sonics on a day to day basis and objectively looked at this season on a game by game basis. What we did in this forum is what the Sonics did throughout the season. We all might have had our own beliefs but the Sonics winning took precedence over everything. We believed in this team when everyone else on this site expected us to fall flat on our faces. That's what made this season so enjoyable. It was a family atmosphere for the Sonics and it was a family atmosphere for this forum. This ride was great and I'm glad I got a chance to experience it with such knowledgeable fans. It won't be like this again, but hopefully this team has made basketball in Seattle not only relevant in the Pacific Northwest but also the rest of the country. Great year, fam.
bah-humbug. Why is the season over? Yes, I cried... I`ll miss every part of the team. Even Swift (who was on the bench most of the year). I wonder if next season will have even similar efforts or spirit...
One thing about Schultz and Walker - I think they were as suprised as anybody about our succcess this year. Hence the 9 free agents. If you believe in a plan and have the pieces in place, you don't let it get to the point where 75% of the team and the coaching staff could be gone. That tells me they wanted to wait and see what happened, and were prepared to blow up the team in the wake of another year of missing the playoffs and $17 million in losses and start all over. I honestly believe they had/have no plan, no vision. Clueless. PEET'S 4 LIFE
